Basic Biographical Details

Name:

(Sir) William Hardie Kininmonth

Designation:

Architect

Born:

8 November 1904

Died:

8 August 1988

Bio Notes:

William Hardie Kininmonth was born in Forfar on 8 November 1904, the son of John Kininmonth and his wife Isabella McLean Hardie. He was educated at Dunfermline High School and George Watson's College and was articled to William N Thomson of Leith. While there he studied at Edinburgh College of Art 1924-29 under John Begg and at Heriot-Watt College, for some of this time also working as an assistant in the office of Rowand Anderson & Paul (1925-29). From there he obtained a place in the office of Sir Edwin Lutyens in London where he renewed his friendship with a former contemporary at Edinburgh College of Art, Basil Spence, who was three years younger. From 1929 to 1930 he attended classes at London University working in an atelier there.

Kininmonth was awarded the RIBA Diploma in 1931 and was placed second in the Rowand Anderson Silver medal competition. He returned to Edinburgh in 1930 but Paul could not afford to re-employ him. He did, however, offer him a room in his office. It had only a drawing board and a telephone but it enabled him to form a partnership with his friend and colleague in Lutyens' office, Basil Urwin Spence as Kininmonth & Spence in October 1931. It specialised in presentation work for other practices as well as original design work, supplemented by teaching at Edinburgh College of Art. Kininmonth and Spence's practice was immediately successful, Kininmonth's own modernist house at 46A Dick Place (1933) acting as an excellent advertisement. In 1934 Paul offered Kininmonth a partnership but he felt he had to decline unless Spence was taken into partnership as well. Paul accepted this proposal and the Kininmonth & Spence partnership merged into Paul's as Rowand Anderson & Paul & Partners. Kininmonth and Spence continued teaching although by that date business had significantly recovered. This arrangement continued until June 1938 when Paul died. From 1939 to 1941 Kininmonth held the post of senior lecturer in design at Edinburgh College of Art. In 1942 he was called up and served with the Royal Engineers in Algeria, Tunisia, Sicily and Italy.

On their return from war service Kininmonth and Spence found that there was little work on offer. Spence left the practice in 1946 to found Basil Spence & Partners. Kininmonth continued the Rowand Anderson partnership as Rowand Anderson Kininmonth & Paul. The post-war years of this partnership, when William Gray Leslie and Richard Gale Ewing did most of the design work, lie outwith the present scope of the Dictionary of Scottish Architects.

He joined the Building Standards Advisory Committee in 1959, advising the Secretary of State for Scotland on the proposed Building (Scotland) Act, 1959.

Kininmonth was President of the RSA from 1969 to 1972 and was knighted in the latter year. He died in Edinburgh in August 1988.

Private and Business Addresses

The following private or business addresses are associated with this architect:

Address

Type

Date from

Date to

Notes

Cambourne Hotel/62, Leanster Square, London, England

Private

1931 *

16, Rutland Square, Edinburgh, Scotland

Business

Before 1934 *

After 1951

46A, Dick Place, Edinburgh, Scotland

Private

1948 *

* earliest date known from documented sources.

Employment and Training

Employers

The following individuals or organisations employed or trained this architect (click on an item to view details):